Imani could feel the walls closing in. Solomon's paranoia was reaching a boiling point, and the streets were buzzing with rumors. Carlos was watching her every move, and Tisha—Tisha had been distant, cold, ever since she learned the truth. Imani had always known this was a dangerous game, but now, with everything crumbling around her, it felt like time was running out.

She had one chance left.

Imani stood outside the door to Tisha's apartment, her heart pounding in her chest. She had replayed this conversation in her head a thousand times, but now that she was here, the words felt stuck in her throat. She knew she had hurt Tisha in ways that couldn't be undone, but she had to try. She couldn't leave things like this. Not when everything was spiraling out of control.

She knocked softly, her hand trembling slightly. For a long moment, there was nothing. Just silence, heavy and suffocating. Imani's stomach twisted with nerves, but before she could knock again, the door opened.

Tisha stood in the doorway, her expression hard, her eyes cold. She didn't say anything, just stared at Imani with a look that made her heart ache.

"Can I come in?" Imani asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tisha didn't respond right away. She just stared at Imani, her jaw clenched, the tension between them thick and suffocating. Finally, she stepped aside, letting Imani into the apartment.

The door closed behind them with a soft click, and Imani stood there, unsure of where to begin. The apartment felt smaller than usual, the air heavy with all the things left unsaid between them.

"Tisha," Imani started, her voice trembling slightly. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I need to explain. I need you to know everything."

Tisha crossed her arms, leaning against the wall, her eyes narrowed. "You think there's something left to say?"

Imani swallowed hard, fighting back the wave of emotion rising in her chest. "I didn't come here to make excuses. I know what I did was wrong. I should've told you the truth sooner. But I was trying to protect you."

Tisha's laugh was bitter, sharp. "Protect me? You've been lying to me this whole time, Imani. I thought I knew you, but I don't know anything."

"I was undercover," Imani said, the words spilling out now, her voice raw. "I was sent here to take down Solomon, to gather evidence and bring him in. But that's not why I'm here now. I'm here because of you."

Tisha's jaw tightened, her eyes flashing with anger. "You're only here because you got caught. Don't try to spin this like it's about me."

"It is about you!" Imani's voice cracked, her emotions finally breaking through the surface. "I came here for the job, but somewhere along the way, it changed. I didn't expect to fall for you. I didn't expect any of this."

Tisha shook her head, turning away from Imani, her shoulders tense. "You don't get it. You can't just show up here and say it was real, like that makes everything okay. You played me, Imani. You made me trust you."

Imani stepped closer, her voice soft, desperate. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Tish. I never wanted that. But what we had—it was real. I need you to believe that."

Tisha's back was still turned, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if she were trying to hold everything together. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

The silence between them was thick, the weight of the truth hanging heavy in the air. Imani felt like she was drowning, like every word she spoke was pulling her deeper into a place she couldn't escape from. But she couldn't leave things like this. She couldn't walk away from Tisha without telling her the truth.

"I'm leaving," Imani said quietly, her voice barely audible. "I'm going to disappear, before Solomon finds out. But I came here to tell you... I love you, Tisha. I know I've messed up, I know I can't fix this, but I love you. And I'd risk everything to protect you."

Tisha turned around slowly, her eyes filled with a mix of anger, hurt, and something else—something that made Imani's heart ache even more. "If you loved me, you wouldn't have lied."

Imani's chest tightened, her breath catching in her throat. "I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to lose you."

Tisha took a step forward, her eyes blazing with fury. "Well, you lost me anyway, didn't you? You think this confession changes anything? It doesn't, Imani. You've destroyed everything."

The words hit Imani like a punch to the gut, but she didn't back down. She couldn't. "I know I can't undo the past. But I'm trying to make things right."

Tisha's hands trembled, her emotions spilling over as she glared at Imani. "You think you can just leave and it'll all be fine? Solomon's not stupid. He's already suspicious. If he finds out what you are, he's going to come after both of us."

Imani shook her head, her voice desperate. "That's why I'm leaving. If I go, if I disappear, maybe you can still be safe."

Tisha's heart pounded in her chest, the conflict raging inside her. She hated Imani for what she had done, for the lies, the betrayal. But even now, even after everything, there was a part of her that still cared, that still wanted to protect Imani. It made her sick to her stomach, the way her feelings for Imani refused to die, no matter how much she tried to push them down.

"You need to leave, Imani," Tisha said, her voice trembling. "You need to get out of The Towers. Before Solomon finds out. Before Carlos—"

"I'm not leaving without you," Imani cut in, her voice firm.

Tisha's eyes flashed with anger. "You don't get it, do you? You being here is putting a target on my back. Solomon's already suspicious of me, and if he finds out you're a cop, it's over. For both of us."

Imani took a step closer, her voice steady. "Then let's go. You and me. We can leave this behind. We can find a way out together."

Tisha let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "There's no leaving Solomon, Imani. You don't just walk away."

"I'm willing to take that risk," Imani said softly. "For you."

Tisha's heart clenched at the words, the weight of Imani's confession pressing down on her. But the truth was, no matter how much a part of her wanted to believe that they could escape, that they could start over, she knew it was impossible. The streets didn't forget, and Solomon never let go.

"You're a fool if you think we can just leave," Tisha said quietly, her voice full of pain. "Solomon will never let me go. And you... you've already lost me."

Imani's face twisted with heartbreak, but she didn't move. She just stood there, the silence between them thick and suffocating, the reality of the situation hanging heavy in the air.

"I love you," Imani whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm not leaving without you."

Tisha's eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away, refusing to let herself feel the depth of her own pain. "Then you're going to die here."

The words hung in the air like a death sentence, the final nail in the coffin of whatever they had shared. Imani stood frozen, the weight of Tisha's words crashing down around her.

For a long moment, neither of them moved.

And then, without another word, Imani turned and walked out the door.